Travellers defying order

The travellers' camp was set up on Sunday on the strip of Strang's Mortification land just off the Montrose Road.

Public concern is growing in Forfar after travellers ignored a council order to move from a site off the Montrose Road.

Angus Council officers, acting on behalf of the Trustees of the Strang’s Mortification Trust which owns the land, served an order on the group on Thursday, giving it until noon the following day to leave.

At the time of going to press on Tuesday (yesterday), the travellers were still firmly in place. A council spokeswoman said: “As the travellers have not moved, we are now considering our options.”

Mrs Isobel Ross, chairman of Forfar Community Council, has backed the council and police in taking a hard line with the group, stating she had received numerous complaints from residents and visitors alike who have said it is an “absolute disgrace”.

Residents have complained about people urinating against fences, stones being thrown, dogs roaming around and the access taken by the group through a children’s playpark.

She said: “The message I am getting from everybody is the cost falls on the shoulders of the tax payer. It’s unacceptable the tax payer has to bear the brunt.”

On Monday a spokesperson for the Scottish SPCA confirmed inspectors were called out to the Gowanbank area on two occasions last week. She added: “However the reports were unfounded and we have no animal welfare concerns at this time.”